News for Florida animal advocates

On Sunday, the Sun-Sentinel newspaper commented on the sorry state of the American circus. In an editorial, they pondered why attendance at circuses is declining, “Perhaps it is as simple as people craving more exciting, interactive entertainment. Perhaps it is because we have all become more sensitive to potential animal abuse.” We believe that more […]

An article in last week’s Daytona Beach News-Journal described how residents of a Palm Coast neighborhood upset at wild pigs digging up their lawns have hired a trapper to “remove” the pigs. A group of 12- a female and 12 piglets- have been trapped already.
We found a much happier story in the Vero Beach Press-Journal, […]

Today, the Lakeland Ledger published the following letter from ARFF’s president Nanci Alexander about proposed changes to Florida’s alligator “management” program:
“The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced results of an online survey about alligators in our state in which more than 600 people participated.
Despite the fact that an equal number of respondents […]

Yesterday’s Miami Herald included an excellent letter by ethologist and author Jonathan Balcombe. In the letter, Balcombe writes about recent studies that have shown how animals as varied as mice, monkeys, pigeons, iguanas and fish “experience the world essentially as we do.” Animals, “have their own cultures, and they may show malice, or compassion, for […]

Yesterday’s election was disappointing for animal advocates in Florida. Amendment 3, which will require a super-majority (60%) to enact future amendments to the state Constitution, passed with 58% of the vote- ironically, supporters of the amendment did not meet their own standard.
But the news was much better on other animal-related ballot initiatives in the country. […]

Yesterday, voters in Miami-Dade approved a plan to build an entertainment district- possibly including a water park and roller coasters- on the property of Miami Metrozoo. The hope is that the multi-million dollar project will boost attendance at the zoo, which according to the Miami Herald has never reached expectations.
Although zoos claim that their purpose […]

Last Sunday, the PBS program, “Nature” opened its new season with a powerful documentary, “Chimpanzees: An Unnatural History.”
The film told the sad history of the use of chimpanzees in medical research and entertainment in America, and profiled a few wonderful sanctuaries that are trying to give these amazing animals a dignified “retirement.”
If you missed Sunday’s […]

Just in case anyone needed convincing, several news stories last week provided evidence that exotic “pets” are a bad idea.
Last Tuesday, a landscaper working at a house in Davie was jumped on, scratched and bitten by a wallaby kept in a cage at the home. The man was not seriously hurt, but he told a […]

The current issue of USA Today covers the “Elephant debate: Live in zoo or roam free?” Click here to read the article online (be sure to vote in the online poll, “Where do you think elephants belong?”)
In the article, activists as well as scientists make a convincing argument against keeping elephants in the small groups […]

November through January are popular months for local fairs in Florida. Although the crowds, rides, cotton candy and funnel cake can be enjoyable, fairs almost always include cruel oddities like tigers in cages, men wrestling alligators or organ grinder monkeys.
The Space Coast State Fair began this week in Cocoa (Brevard County). The “entertainment” includes bull […]